The Game Management Office in Hoedspruit called us to collect this European Roller to see if we could save it as it was hit by a car and unable to fly. European Rollers often perch on trees, posts or overhead wires, while searching for their prey that consists of large insects, small reptiles and rodents and as a result swoop down across a road and this is where it can be hit.
The Roller was with us for approximately a week and a half, we could not find anything specifically wrong with it. We built it up on its natural food and then one day………. this beautiful bird decided to show us his flying ability. We were over joyed that the day would come that we could finally release it.
There is such anticipation, joy and excitement amongst the volunteers when a moment of witnessing an animal or bird large or small gets released. The smiles on the faces in the photo tells it all.
So on the 10th February 2017 Laurence Hurter from Switzerland……who did most of the hard work, released the roller just outside the rehab center, it was a sigh of release to see it fly off and land in a nearby tree.
